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Sure seems like Immobile would help here, no? If they had someone who would be better at getting behind the high line they would have much better opportunities and/or would push the back line back and clear out more space in the midfield.

Oh I don't think that's an alternative at this point, I think that's fact. I'm saying (somewhat ham-fistedly) that any doubt about Costa Rica's legitimacy goes out the door with this one. At this point even if they somehow give up two late goals I don't think that changes how they deserve to be perceived.

Great results for any kind of neutral in this group, since Uruguay-Italy now really matters, and since England are now officially eliminated (presumably even neutrals are rooting against England, rightfully so).

Congratulations to CR. Very well played. Italy had almost no good chances in the second half especially. Now CR are strong favorites to top the group, and it sets up a tasty match between Italy and Uruguay probably for second place (with Italy only needing a draw to advance from the group).

Michael Cox has his analysis of the England game up. He notes that Uruguay recognized Gerrard and Rooney as England's only 2 creative players and deliberately set his team to mark them out of the game.

the guy thought spain sucked ( that would be me ) still thinks they sucked based on them being thoroughly outplayed in 2 games and failing abysmally in the second when they were in must win mode , they simply had no offense , the soccerroos gave a better account for themselves against the dutch than spain did, seriously you would have a hard time placing spain in the top 15 teams in the world the way they played, italy at least won a game...that being said the italians think nothing about uncorking a boring game every now and then

I was watching the first 15 minutes with a co-worker. We both agreed that given that a draw probably suited both teams and the way it started that 0-0 would be the result. I walked away and was interupted by another colleague. Suddenly my co-worker said "hey, it's 2-0" and I thought he was kidding. Unreal.

seriously you would have a hard time placing spain in the top 15 teams in the world the way they played,

Upping the ante from the top 10 you claimed earlier. I assume this is hyperbole, because if Spain is not in the top 15, then they must be worse than Italy, Uruguay, England, Belgium, Bosnia, Croatia, and Ivory Coast.

I think the absolute worst you could rank Spain today is 9th or 10th, and that would be a huge stretch.

I mean, on form right now you might be able to convince me there are 10 teams better than Spain, but if we're talking a 1-game-only, winner-take-all situation, I'm not sure there's 10-15 teams out there that would beat Spain under those circumstances.

(Note: I would consider Chile and Holland to both be top-10/top-15 teams.)

i am english so i probably watched in my life as much football as anyone here, not that i think we need to compare cvs about it, one truism is fifa rankings are terrible ,and spains number 1 ranking was based on events at least 2years old, they played two good teams , chile is not an elite squad no matter how you want to slice it, they were destroyed by one, their second half performance was embarrasing to say the least, and were flat and ineffective in the second, they clearly are not in the top 10 as far as current world class teams go if you dont see ten squads who look far better are playing better football and look like teams that can win, you are the one who watches very little of the sport

textbook i am wondering what part of spains two games suggested to you that they could beat any quality squad at the moment? they dont look like they could handle germany france, brazil argintina, uruquay columbia costa rica, italy (and they dont ook great either) plus chile and holland they already proved they couldnt compete against,,,thats ten, do you need more? right now do you think its a foregone conclusion they will win against australia?

Remember when people (not here) were giving them crap for leaving Nasri home?

When Ribery went down I pointed out that it looked like a mistake, at the time, to have left Nasri out. I agree that through 1.6 games they haven't missed him (or Ribery, to be honest), but there are a lot of games left to be played.

If Nasri was willing to play nice then it would be beneficial if he was on the team, but I wonder what his reaction would be if Deschamps started Nasri that first game, and then sat him down this game (like he did with Griezmann).

you saw a spain that i missed somehow, they were in neither match they played and look lifeless and listless from the second half of the first game onward and again i ask, do you think a victory against the socceroos is in the cards? clearly you must if you think they could handle italy, the thought of luis suarez vs that spanish defense is beyond hilarity, he could score 3 goals in the first half, never mind a full 90,,,,again dont know what spanish games you were watching, would loved to have seen them.